DramaLit Blog 1.0: BU School of Theatre » government cutshttp://blogs.bu.edu/ilanamb
visit the new version of this blog: http://dramalit.wordpress.comSat, 12 May 2012 15:53:35 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Govt. cuts to arts funding…a responsehttp://blogs.bu.edu/ilanamb/2011/02/14/govt-cuts-to-arts-funding-a-response/
http://blogs.bu.edu/ilanamb/2011/02/14/govt-cuts-to-arts-funding-a-response/#commentsMon, 14 Feb 2011 18:44:08 +0000http://blogs.bu.edu/ilanamb/?p=134The government is (again) threatening to cut funding to PBS, NEA, et. al. Here’s a response to the threat. It’s really not new, we’ve been dealing with this since what seems like the dawn of time, but…

I do think it’s important for people to understand why the arts are important to a well-rounded, educated, aware human being. I have sat through I don’t know how many grade school, middle-school, and high school theater productions. And I’ve sat in the audience while grandma or auntie this or uncle that cooed at the sight of their little wonder up on stage, while I seethed through minute-long scene changes or flubbed lines. And I think to myself, if this were a school sports event, and one of those youngster missed a passed, or didn’t double up the runner, everyone would know it and not be so sympathetic.

I’m not saying sports aren’t important to society; I’m saying we have to elevate the arts to where sports are today, so actors (and writers and painters and photographers, etc) are just as revered as the Tom Bradys are.

Anyway, give this a read. Here a couple of excerpted quotes to pique your interest.

“…we never really hear why such programming is important and why it must be sustained.”

“The reason the arts and humanities are targeted is that for a major portion of the country, we are either a complete blank or the spawn of the upper-class elites. We fail to make the argument for the value of our field, because we’re too busy getting butts in seats or bodies through turnstiles.”